Seventh-graders at Our Lady Queen of Peace School in New Dorp, Joseph Cilento, at left, and Nicholas Mangone, collected supplies for Project Homefront, to be sent to U.S. troops overseas. The boys collected supplies from tenants living in the garden apartment complex on Ravenhurst Avenue in Westerleigh.
(Photo Courtesy of Gloria Cilento)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - WESTERLEIGH/NEW DORP - Maybe they were impressed by the resolve of young Joseph Cilento and Nicholas Mangone, or maybe they had heard about Project Homefront, the Staten Island non-profit that collects and sends care packages to members of the armed forces serving overseas.

Whatever it was, when Joseph, 12, and Nicholas, 11, appealed to Westerleigh residents living in the 85-garden apartment complex on Ravenhurst and Jewett avenues to donate items for US troops deployed overseas, residents responded generously.

The two boys from New Dorp, who are starting seventh-grade at Our Lady Queen of Peace School there, collected 12 large cartons of supplies from tenants on Aug. 30 in a one-day campaign they had carefully planned.

The two boys – neighbors and long-time pals – are required to complete at least 10 hours of community service to receive the Catholic sacrament of Confirmation. With guidance from their moms, Gloria Cilento and Susan Mangone, the boys decided to volunteer for Project Homefront, based out of New Dorp Moravian Church.

After spending a day helping Project Homefront director Debbie Parsons sort and pack items to be shipped, the boys did their own inventory and discovered that supplies for the troops were running low. They decided to act.

Mrs. Mangone is an office manager at the apartment complex, so the boys got permission to solicit donations from tenants. They spent days preparing flyers, and putting them up in the hallways. They also did their own shopping for supplies, including canned soups and foods, toiletries, hand and foot warmers, blankets, socks and wool caps.

"With the winter months coming up, the boys were concerned for the welfare of the troops," explained Mrs. Mangone.

On Aug. 30, the boys set up tables outside the apartment complex. While Mrs. Mangone and Mrs. Cilento prepared coffee and tea and set out juice, bagels, Danish and sandwiches for residents, the boys were busy accepting bags of items that included dog collars and other canine supplies, toiletries for men and women, non-perishable food and snacks, as well as gloves, socks and blankets.

Tenants had nothing but praise for the boys' initiative.

"They were really impressive, so organized and so polite," said Audrey Ascone, who has lived in the apartment complex for 39 years. Among the items she brought down were packages of cookies, macaroni and cheese and other non-perishable meals that can be easily heated.

Another tenant, Leonore Valenti, who has lived there for 11 years, said she was proud of her neighbors for coming out to support the boys – and the troops. "The boys did a wonderful job of getting the word out to us so we could prepare and gather items," she said. Among the items she donated were bags of travel-sized women's toiletries.

Mrs. Parsons was beside herself when the boys rolled up to unload the dozen cartons of supplies, neatly sorted for packing.

"I just kept hugging them. They did such a great job; I can't get over it. I told them they had no idea of the smiles their work will bring to soldiers' faces, especially when they find out there were young people involved," she said.

Project Homefront sends individual 12-inch by-12-inch boxes of supplies periodically to more than 300 servicemen and women on its mailing list, along with a personal note. Mrs. Parsons said the agency usually runs low on items over the summer, since schools are closed and Staten Islanders are away on vacation. The boys' project and the tenants' donations will help bridge the gap until donations begin to arrive for holiday season, said Mrs. Parsons.

As for Nicholas and Joseph, they said the project served to keep them busy all summer – and in a constructive way.

"It's the least we could do for our troops since they are away from home and fighting for us," said Nicholas.

Joseph, who has thoughts of enlisting in the military, said the project was his way of thanking service members. "I wanted this to be a way of saying 'thank you' to our troops for helping us stay safe," he said.